Explore Over 11,000+ Conditions, Medications, and Symptoms.

Get a personalized feed by signing up for free.

Leishmania

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

Additional names

This group contains additional names: - Leishmaniasis

General

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania parasite. Sand flies are typically infected with this parasite. Sand flies infected with leishmaniasis can bite you. Tropical and subtropical climates are typical habitats for sand flies that carry the parasite. Asian, East African, and South American regions have suffered fatal epidemics.

1 people with Leishmania

Learn from others who are experiencing Leishmania.

statistic

Signs & symptoms

Leishmania can be carried by people for long periods without causing illness. Disease forms have different symptoms. Painless skin ulcers are the main symptom of this condition. The mucocutaneous form of the disease usually manifests one to five years after the skin lesions. They usually have mouth, nose, or lip ulcers. The following symptoms may also occur: Nose congestion or runny nose Having a nosebleed Breathing difficulties Symptoms of visceral leishmaniasis usually appear two to six months after infection. These are some of the most common signs and symptoms: Loss of weight Weaknesses A fever that lasts for several weeks or months Spleen enlargement Liver enlargement The production of blood cells has decreased

Diagnosis

Tell your doctor if you lived in or visited a place where leishmaniasis is common. In this way, your doctor will know to test you for parasites. A biopsy may be performed by scraping one of the ulcers for a small amount of skin. They often look for the parasite's DNA, or genetic material. In order to identify the type of parasite causing the infection, they can use a variety of methods.

Treatment

This condition is treated with antiparasitic drugs, such as amphotericin B (Ambisome). Depending on the type of leishmaniasis you have, your doctor may recommend other treatments.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Alike Wisdom

Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences

pp-logo

Alike is a transformative platform that goes beyond just bringing together patients; it meticulously connects individuals based on multiple critical factors, such as age, gender, comorbidities, medications, diet, and more, fostering a community of knowledge, support and empathy.

appStoreBtngooglePlayBtn

© 2020-2024 Alike, Inc